Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.

Henry David Thoreau

Comments Galore, pancakes, postcards & a storm

Tuesday August 14, 2012Quail Run RV Resort Site 15Wesley Chapel, FL

WOW- a record number of comments for this blog.

We are overwhelmed at the HUGE number of comments on yesterday’s post and all the good wishes from you guys. I’ve never seen so many comments on this blog since I started writing it over two years ago. We are very very grateful to have you share in our joy over completing this milestone. I continue to be amazed at how many people are interested in this medical disaster that appeared from nowhere.

AND I’m still getting POSTCARDS. Hooray! I’ll show those later but if you mean to send one, please do. I’m still trying to cover that mirror and we aren’t leaving immediately.

So when are we getting back on the road??

We’ve determined that we really cannot leave here until at least next Friday August 24. Part of the reason is I had my eyes examined and the glasses don’t come in until mid to late next week. We have several things David is going to try to “fix” before we leave or look into having fixed and some things that are being delivered to us here. We also scheduled a nice wash and wax for poor Winnona who is turning a bit green from all this weather. It’s her present for being such a very very good girl through all of this turmoil. :-)

But where are we going to go when we do get back on the road?

Because David has to be back here actually by October 25 for the blood draw for his November 1 appointment, we have almost exactly two months to go somewhere. I don’t want to spend half of that on the road coming and going so I need to find some where that’s no more and hopefully less than a week’s drive – not a Paul Dahl drive – but a 150 miles a day or less type drive. I’m looking and looking for a place with temps at least in the low 80’s or maybe even the high 70’s (hope hope) and maybe nights in the 60’s????? Not having much luck. The North Georgia Mountains seem to be the best and that’s $300 worth of gasoline away. But I still have about 5 days to try to work this out before I need to get seriously busy packing up.

So here is the post I had all ready when the shocking good news happened.

This post was written on Monday night about Monday August 14th to be posted late that night but time got away from me and I was too sleepy. So, I thought I’d post it Tuesday morning but, time got away from me and I was behind in getting ready for the morning Moffitt appointment. And then………….well you know what happened.

So here’s that post.

Readers were asking for the recipe for the pancakes David fixed in his return to cooking. So here it is. Remember this is a vegan recipe with low to no sugar or oil.

We call them Vegan oatmeal pancakes. In this picture we served them with 100% Maple Syrup and nectarines and cherries on top. Usually we take one of the fruits and put it in the blender with a VERY little water if need be and turn it into a syrup. Then put the other fruits on top. In that case, we use 3 or 4 fruits. Berries make a great pancake pour over. So do peaches. But remember that peaches are some of the most pesticided fruits there are and because of their thin skins, those pesticides cannot be just washed off. Organic peaches is our rule.

Vegan Oatmeal Pancakes

Makes about eight 4 inch pancakes (1/4 cup each)

1 c plant based milk (we have used soy, coconut and almond milks. All work well)

Add more milk to thin batter as needed. If the batter is too thick, the inside is harder to cook.

May need a little oil on your griddle depending on what kind of griddle you have. Otherwise just cook like any other pancake.

Cover with a mixed fruit salad. Maple or fruit syrup to suit.And ENJOY!!

Now back to Monday, the day before the Surprise.

I go out running in the heat as usual. I run before eating breakfast. David goes out walking in the heat as usual. He walks after having breakfast #1. We have found that if he eats every two hours – 8, 10, noon, 2, 4, 6, and 8. We are VERY SLOWLY putting some weight back on him or at least he isn’t losing any more. Don’t you wish you could eat every two hours? I sure do.

Anyway, when I finish running, stretching, exercising and lifting, I make myself a smoothie for breakfast. It had a a half a blender full of greens- kale, chard, spinach – a tomato, a banana, a plum, a carrot and I think that was all. Although looking at me drinking something green may not appeal, it was excellent.

David returns and has cereal with fruit, nuts, and seeds and a slice of toast with unsweetened fruit jam followed by a nap.

I really must do something more interesting to escape this heat.

I decide to spend the afternoon sitting in a comfy chair in Barnes and Noble with a pile of books on my lap. Just like being in a library only all the books are new. Fun!!! I go around looking at all the display tables and racks picking out things that look interesting.

Here is one of the things I found.

Great pictures of a group of women who caravan and have “gatherings” with their restored vintage trailers. Most of them do the restorations themselves. GREAT PICTURES! Fascinating group! They have a web site, just google them. Be sure to look in “the gallery”.

I am really amazed to find an entire section of the cookbook area devoted to Vegan cooking. Clearly this has become a lot more popular and maybe, dare I say it, a fad while I haven’t been paying attention.

Here’s the chair I am sitting in. Well not THE chair. I’m obviously sitting across from these young people whom I guess are also trying to beat the heat.

This fella was really engrossed in his book. Check the title. He was still there when I left. I wondered if he would finish it or buy it.

WHOO HOOO – More Postcards.

I return to Winnona in the late afternoon and check the mailbox. Sure enough, more postcards for the mirror. OH BOY!

First one from Jeannie and Eldy with the Maine Coast in Bar Harbor. OH YES!! The place I would definitely have been this summer if it hadn’t been for being way laid for nearly 8 months now.

Looks SO cool and lovely. THANKS you two!! Sure wish I were there.

AND a very interesting card from Cozygirl who it seems shares my environmental values.

Alice, the aloe plant, travels with us and now I’m going to figure out how to include this out of the ordinary postcard. THANKS Cozygirl for this really unique card!

We round out the day with another of Florida’s famous thunderstorms. This is a HUGE storm. The street began to look like a mill race and their were pools forming in the grass.

I took the pictures for this slideshow while sitting under the awning until the cracks of lightning were ear splitting and I was counting one one thousand one and hearing the thunder. Time to go inside. Florida does have some serious storms even on days without tropical storms or hurricanes.

36 comments:

I would vote for the N. GA mountains. I started my backpacking trip on the Appalachian Trail on Springer Mtn, GA (near Dahlonega). I would say that GA was my favorite scenery in the 900 miles I hiked, and you don't have to be out on the trail to appreciate it. I'm so eager for you to be able to get away from Florida for a while.

You love the beach, why not hit some of those great state parks in the Florida panhandle? I'm sorry I missed your great news, it is fantastic. My little excursion to the ER got me behind in my reading :-(. I DO have a picture of an item I found geocaching that I know you'll like...watch for the next blog entry :-).

Wishing for a different view is just right Laurie. Thanks for your wishes. I'm watching the weather but don't see much cooler for the next month that isn't 500 miles away. Something will work out though.

North Georgia mountains are good but I don't know if it is that much cooler. You might just move close to the beach - get the breeze off the gulf or the Atlantic and relax and enjoy. It will still be hot but being close to the water will make a huge difference in how it feels.

I've been checking the temperatures at the beach and in those Georgia mountains. Definitely cooler if you get up near the northern GA border. You are so right about being close to the water making a difference though. I'll put you as the 2nd vote for Panhandle parks near the water. :-)

Thanks for the recipe...Pancakes are my favorite food group:o)) Wherever you go you will have a good time. Just being 'On the Road and Down the Trail' again will make you happy!!! Remember, It's all about the Journey;o)))

Will have to check out "Sisters on the Fly:". Looks very intriguing. Now where the heck has the USPS sent our postcard????!!! No worries though as my parents nor Dan's Mom has gotten theirs yet either! ;-)

Hi, Sherry! How great to hear you planning where you will go. One place you might consider is Clayton, GA, Dillon, or around Tallulah Gorge. Not far from there is Highlands NC. It's always 15 degrees cooler than Atlanta, and it's an adorable little town. There are also lots of waterfalls (I know you love water) http://tinyurl.com/d7cpuf3 I sure wish Susan had wanted to go there instead of Asheville last week. We passed through Clayton, and I was sorry we didn't stop. (Regarding campgrounds, don't try Black Rock--the grade is too steep for Winona.) I was amazed at the number of campground signs as I passed through the area. Rich and I spent quite a few weekends in the area.

As far as comments in your last post, I don't think you really know how many minds you and David occupied, nor how many people were pulling for you. I think I heard a huge collective sigh of relief and celebration the other day. :)

I don't have a postcard for you--I sent a cyber post card but who knows whether they really work--was so annoyed in Asheville, I never gave it a thought (sorry). Instead, I thought you might enjoy this recipe. Rich absolutely loved it. When we were in business, he had to run to UPS quite frequently. If the phones were slow, as soon as he left the driveway I'd whip this up. One bowl, one spoon. Took me all of 10 minutes including clean up. Then, I'd run downstairs and wait for his return. When he opened the door, there was always that great big grin as the aroma hit him.

Thanks so much Nancy for all the specific Georgia Mountain suggestions. I don't know anything about the area and it's wonderful to have places to look into. With your suggestions the North Georgia Mountains are ahead by one vote. :-)

How about Jekyll Island in GA or nearby Blyte Island SP also just about 30 miles north of the FL/GA border. Really lovely area. Not too far to drive, just an afternoon run for us... ;c). You might even get some great organic peaches in Georgia, too, an added bonus to go.

Paul and Marti, did you mean Blythe Island Regional Park? I've been there--very nice. There rates have gone up, but what hasn't? http://www.glynncounty.org/index.aspx?NID=176 Sherry, it would be nice if you're near Cumberland Island to take the ferry ride over--bring a picnic lunch and enjoy the white sands and wild horses!

We have stayed at Crooked River State Park and gone over to Cumberland Island on the ferry. I wanted to go back by kayak and then backpack camp over there for a week. They have great campsites but David wouldn't be able to do that now.

You sound so excited to GO!!! Anywhere! The weather has finally cooled off here in eastern Ontario (but I know that's too far to drive! ;-)), and it's wonderfully cool for sleeping (no AC in our little house and one evening was so hot we sat in our air conditioned Casita with our homemade pizza and watched a movie! ;-))

The yummy pancakes are similar to my recipe...I just add lots of cinnamon. Lemon juice in the blueberry 'syrup' too.

Have a terrific week planning and packing for your escape. You both deserve it!

So happy for your good news! I see that Alabama is not a state that you have visited and you can knock that one off your list. There is a mountain community in the northeast corner of the state that has mild temperatures and beautiful scenery. Desoto State Park is in Mentone, AL (elevation 1700-1800 ft.)(http://www.alapark.com/desotoresort/Camping/) and the Little River Canyon runs much of the length of Lookout Mountain from the Tennessee line to the Coosa River/Weiss Lake near Gadsden. It is an easy drive and just a few miles up the mountain from I-59 near Fort Payne, AL. If you approach from the Atlanta side, you can leave the interstate for the last few miles and visit folk artist Howard Finster's Paradise Garden (http://www.paradisegardenfoundation.org/)in Summerville, GA. Best wishes!

Welcome Jotagram I don't think I've seen a comment by you here before. Thanks so much for all the specific ideas. Alabama is definitely a place I'd like to go. I'll look into your suggestions. Thanks for them and your wishes.

Will have to try the pancake recipe. Nice slidshow - those storms can be exciting - we sometimes have those kind of storms in Maryland, but mostly during the night. I, too, am amazed and touched by the number of people who really cared through this whole ordeal. Really, really touching. That smoothie doesn't look entirely appetizing, but sure sounds healthy. ;) Glad you got out to Barnes & Nobles to commune with the books - although Jesse Ventura doesn't seem like it'd be your choice...LOL. Wonder what that guy would think if he knew he was photographed in your blog?! :)